Lacrosse heads for use in the game of lacrosse are well-known and take on a variety of configurations. Current lacrosse heads are typically manufactured by injection molding processes and are secured to a metal lacrosse handle for use in play. The structure of lacrosse heads is commonly defined by a base portion disposed adjacent to a connection with the handle, a pair of opposing sidewall portions extending from the base portion, and a scoop portion connecting the ends of the pair of opposing sidewall portions opposite the base portion.
Lacrosse heads have securing mechanisms that are intended to receive a netting thereon that connects to the base portion, the pair of opposing sidewall portions, and the scoop portion. The netting is intended to retain a lacrosse ball therein. The scoop portions on current lacrosse heads have a generally smooth and planar inner surface. The smooth planar inner surface is intended to facilitate scooping of ground balls.
Traditional lacrosse heads had sidewalls where the upper rims and the lower rims lied in the same vertical plane with respect to a centerline of an attached handle. These vertically oriented sidewalls are perpendicular to a plane defined by an upper surface of the handle. As is known, ball retention is a desirable feature for most players and therefore, attempts have been made in this regard to provide structure for a lacrosse head that helps maintain a lacrosse ball in the pocket and helps to resist it from being knocked or dislodged from the lacrosse head. These structures, however have other disadvantages.
For example, some prior lacrosse heads have included ball retention features, such as a plurality of ball retaining ridges protruding from the interior surface of the sidewalls. Each ridge has an underside extending generally downwardly and outwardly toward the ball pocket and serves to direct and retain the ball within the pocket. While these ridges assisted in ball retention because they extend from the sidewalls into the pocket, they decreased the effective catching area of the lacrosse head.
Additionally, other prior lacrosse heads have been introduced having a base portion that is recessed or rounded in a direction opposite the open frame to assist in retaining a lacrosse ball therein. Other commercial lacrosse heads have pinched in the upper portions of the sidewall along their length such that the sidewalls angle outwardly therefrom and the upper rims are closer together than the lower rims. In other words, the upper rims lie closer together than the lower rims along their length. This configuration does provide some ball retention attributes, it also decreases the catching area of the head.
More recently, lacrosse heads were developed that provided increased ball retention capabilities without decreasing the catching area of the head. These lacrosse heads included sidewalls that were outwardly flared such that the lower rims of the sidewalls were closer together than the upper rims of the sidewalls along at least some of their length. These lacrosse heads also included lower rims that were oriented generally parallel to one another throughout the rear portion of the head to provide increased ball retention. While the sidewalls were closer together in the rear portion, these efforts to decrease the width therebetween has also increased the possibility of users stringing their heads such that the ball will be lodged in the head due to the decreased width in the rear portion. Such a configuration where the ball lodges in the head is illegal under many rules.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide a lacrosse head that provides the benefits of an increased catching area and increased ball retention characteristics without illegally trapping the ball in the head.